


Growing Pains

by cordeliadelayne



Category: The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: Body Image, Gen, Mpreg, aragorn is a good friend, frodo worries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-01
Updated: 2016-05-01
Packaged: 2018-06-05 19:28:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 781
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6718753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cordeliadelayne/pseuds/cordeliadelayne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Aragorn helps Frodo come to terms with his pregnancy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Growing Pains

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lilybaggins](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilybaggins/gifts).



> Written for the lovely lilybaggins and originally posted to Livejournal in 2008.

Four months had passed since Gandalf had told him the news. Four months in which he hadn’t been able to sleep, barely wanted to look at food, never mind eat it (“most unhobbit-like”, Gandalf had declared, somewhat worriedly) and four months in which he’d done everything he could to pretend that this wasn’t happening.

Of all the situations he’d faced on his Quest this was by far the scariest. Scarier even than Sauron himself.

He was pregnant.

It wasn’t even as if he could go to the other father for support since he didn’t even know the man’s full name. He’d been so caught up in the celebrations after the end of the Quest that he hadn’t considered there might be consequences from his thoroughly enjoyable night of passion. He’d certainly never foreseen this outcome. But as Gandalf had explained, the ring left a deep and lasting impression on all its owners, and this was just another burden he had to bear.

He patted his stomach gently. It wasn’t all bad though. He would have a child, so he couldn’t begrudge the circumstance entirely.

“Frodo? Are you home?”

Frodo blinked. Aragorn. He didn’t think he was due back for another two days. Frodo tried to stem the panic rising in his chest. Aragorn was his friend, it wouldn’t matter to him what he looked like. Nevertheless he pulled on his oldest and largest coat as he went out to greet his visitor.

“Sorry I took so long,” the hobbit told Aragorn as he opened the door. “I was…just thinking about dinner.”

“No doubt,” Aragorn smiled. “You are after all eating for two now.” Frodo nodded and then hurriedly turned away; he missed Aragorn’s concerned look.

“Would you like some tea?” Frodo asked as he began to potter around the kitchen.

“Yes, thank you.” Aragorn watched the hobbit carefully. “Frodo? Frodo, what’s wrong?”

The fact that Aragorn was being so nice almost undid the hobbit, but he bit his lip and straightened his back.

“Nothing’s wrong, Aragorn.” He turned around and planted a big smile on his face. “I’ll just see if Sam’s left any biscuits.” And he hurriedly left the room.

He cast a furtive glance in the mirror by the door as he left and frowned, not noticing that Aragorn was watching him with a frown of his own.

& & & & &

Two days later Frodo received Aragorn again. And again he put on his largest coat to greet his friend. The outfit’s purport wasn’t lost on Aragorn, but it took two cups of warm tea and a handful of hobbit-sized biscuits before he felt ready to broach the subject. Fighting Orcs hadn’t seemed this perilous.

“Are you well, Frodo?” he settled for asking. He would start off small and then work his way up.

Frodo shoved another biscuit into his mouth and settled for nodding. Aragorn could see that this was going to be an even more difficult task than he had anticipated.

“The pregnancy is going well?” he tried again. This time Frodo took a loud slurp of his tea before he nodded.

Aragorn sighed. Arwen had told him that this would be difficult. How he wished she were here to help him.

“I imagine it must be difficult. The changes that your body goes through.” There, Frodo definitely seemed more alert now. “They are a beautiful symbol of the new life you are carrying though, are they not?” He kept his voice light, as if wary of startling the hobbit.

Frodo looked at him, brow crinkled. “Really?” He looked down at his well-covered stomach.

“Yes, really. I would much rather see you than this huddled-in-an-overcoat-indoors hobbit that sits before me.”

Aragorn’s teasing startled the desired giggle out of Frodo.

“I do feel a little ridiculous,” he admitted. “But I just feel so…different.”

“Of course you do, Frodo. That is only natural.”

Frodo hesitated and then stood up and began to take off his coat. Aragorn hurried to help him.

“You look beautiful,” Aragorn marvelled and Frodo blushed. He put his hand on his just showing belly and sighed.

“Do you really think so? I’ve never been as round as the other hobbits and I…”

“You look fine,” Aragorn reassured him, cutting into his babbling. “You look blooming.” Frodo smiled hesitatingly. “And anyone who says different will face the end of my sword,” he added gruffly.

Frodo laughed and hugged himself. Maybe he had been a little ridiculous. He had been the Ring Bearer after all, he should be used to stares by now.

“Well in that case, we should go out for a drink. Would you care to join me Aragorn?”

“My dear hobbit, I would be delighted.”


End file.
